#mbda

[channeledhistory]

Ukraine wants permission from the west to use long-range Storm Shadow missiles to destroy targets deep inside Russia, believing this could force Moscow into negotiating an end to the fighting.

Senior figures in Kyiv have suggested that using the Anglo-French weapons in a “demonstration attack” will show the Kremlin that military sites near the capital itself could be vulnerable to direct strikes.

The thinking, according to a senior government official, is that Russia will consider negotiating only if it believes Ukraine had the ability “to threaten Moscow and St Petersburg”. [...]

[...]

Storm Shadow missiles were developed primarily by an Anglo-French collaboration and are made by European joint venture MBDA, which also has an Italian partner. But because some of its components are supplied by the US, the White House also has to agree to its use inside Russia. It has so far refused to do so, fearing an escalation of the conflict.

[...]

Ukraine is believed to have been given the export version of Storm Shadow (known as Scalp in France) by London and Paris. These missiles have a range of about 190 miles, though both the UK and France have domestic versions with a range double that. Moscow lies about 300 miles from Ukraine’s northern border.

[...]

[aresdifesa]

Miglioramenti per le capacità missilistiche britanniche il Ministero della Difesa del Regno Unito ha annunciato un investimento di 6,5 miliardi di sterline per migliorare la fornitura di armamenti avanzati alle Forze Armate.

[wpristav]

Компания MBDA представила проект ракетного комплекса LCM

Ракетный комплекс LCM в действии - пока только в виде...... Читать дальше »

[stephanedugast]

📌[ARCHIVES] #éphéméride Il y a 14 ans.

📷 27 mai 2010, le porte-hélicoptères Jeanne d'Arc accoste à Brest au terme de son dernier voyage, et de 47 ans sur toutes les océans du globe. J'étais à bord avec mon complice photographe Christophe Géral *.

⚓️ Le légendaire bâtiment-école de la Marine Nationale, devant la foule des grands jours et les jets d'eau des remorqueurs, faisait un retour triomphal à Brest, le dernier d’une longue carrière débutée en 1964.

⏱️ Dans un ultime baroud d’honneur et grâce à des mécaniciens aux petits soins jusqu’au dernier moment, la "vieille" Jeanne s’était même payée le luxe, juste avant son retour, de signer en Manche son record de vitesse. Aidée par le courant du Raz Blanchard, elle avait dépassé la vitesse de 30 nœuds par rapport au fond, une allure qu’elle n’avait jamais atteinte.

🔱 Armé par plus de 600 marins, l’ancien croiseur porte-hélicoptères, long de 182 mètres pour une largeur de 24 mètres et un déplacement de plus de 12.000 tonnes en charge, a vu passer à son bord, au cours sa carrière, 15.000 marins et formé plus de 6000 jeunes officiers, qui vivaient à bord leur premier déploiement de longue durée.

🌎 La Jeanne aura ainsi formé des générations d'élèves et fait rêver tant d'équipage avec ses voyages uniques. Elle a sillonné les eaux du monde entier, parcouru plus de 1.7 million de milles (3.15 millions de km) et réalisé 769 escales dans 85 pays.

🇨🇵 Durant sa carrière, la Jeanne d'Arc a effectué plus de 800 escales, sillonné 84 pays et parcouru 3,25 millions de kilomètres, soit l'équivalent de 79 tours du monde. Elle a en outre formé des milliers d'élèves officiers.

🌊 Vos anecdotes sont les bienvenues, avant que la vague ne les emporte...

* BONUS ⬇️

🎥 Teaser du web documentaire que j'ai écrit et réalisé

👉 https://urlz.fr/qPP3

📖 Aperçu du livre que j'ai écrit et réalisé avec Christophe Géral

👉 https://urlz.fr/qPP9

La page Facebook dédiée

👉 https://www.facebook.com/R97lajeannestephanedugast

Photographies 📸 Christophe Géral

Sources : archives personnelles I R97 La Jeanne - ultime embarquement I ⚓️ Romain GRAND 🔎.

[defencestar]

Sweden’s Saab and French MBDA join hands for anti-tank, air defence weapons

Saab-MBDA join hands for anti-tank, air defence weapons: Two leading major European powers France and Sweden have decided to strengthen their defence co-operation under a new strategic partnership signed on 30 January as part of French President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Sweden. According to a press statement issued by Swedish defence company Saab, Anti-tank and air defence have been…

[richardmurrayhumblr]

Donald R. Cravins Jr., the first Under Secretary of Commerce for Minority Business Development, leader of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) speaks on the MBDA Capital Readiness Program Grant Competition https://aalbc.com/tc/profile/6477-richardmurray/?status=2210&type=status #rmaalbc

[juniorrios003]

Helicóptero Multi-Missão H-225M - Um Marco na História pela Soberania do Brasil ! #DefesaNacional #helibras #marinhadobrasil #MBDA #h225m #airbus

[subscribe1]

"Unlocking the Future of Warfare: UK's Hypersonic Missile Development"

[rhk111sblog]

KAI forms Strategic Partnership with MBDA to improve Armaments of its KF-21, FA-50, etc. Aircraft

The Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) Company recently formed a Strategic Partnership with the European Weapons Manufacturer MBDA Group aimed at strengthening the Armament Capabilities of the Aircraft made by KAI such as the KF-21 Boramae and FA-50 Fighting Eagle.

This means that the Weapons Suite of the FA-50 will be expanded to include those made by MBDA. No specific Weapons were mentioned which will be integrated into the FA-50, but MBDA does make Air to Air Missiles like the Advanced Short Range Air to Air Missile (ASRAAM), MICA Missile and the very long range Meteor Missile.

MBDA also makes Tactical Missiles like the SPEAR and Brimstone, and Deep Strike Missiles such as the Storm Shadow. Note that MBDA also makes the highly touted SPECTRA Self Defense System used by the Rafale, not sure though if this can be integrated into the FA-50.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) operates a Variant of the FA-50 called the FA-50PH Fighting Eagle, so some of the above Weapons could be an option for them in the near future

Here is the Link to the Article at the Pulse Website: https://pulsenews.co.kr/view.php?year=2023&no=903678

SOURCE: KAI inks deal with Europe’s MBDA to enhance its Aircraft performance {Archived Link}

Check out the Links to my other Social Media Accounts at https://linktr.ee/rhk111

If you like my Work, buy me a Coffee to help support it at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rhk111

[meghalayacareer]

MBDA Recruitment 2022: Development Associate Vacancy

MBDA Recruitment 2022: Development Associate Vacancy

MBDA Recruitment 2022: The Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA) has released an employment notification for the recruitment of Development Associate on behalf of the Office of Development Commissioner for the State Capability Enhancement Project (SCEP). The last date for submission of the application is 31 October 2022. Development Associate No of posts:- 2 (Two) Place of posting:-…

[aresdifesa]

Il nuovo missile antiaereo spalleggiabile di MBDA per l'Esercito Italiano in mostra a Farnborough A Farnborough MBDA mostra la sua nuova soluzione MANPADS VSHORAD (Man Portable Air Defense System - sistema di difesa aerea spalleggiabile/ Very Short Range Air Defence - difesa aerea a cortissimo raggio), in fase di sviluppo per l’Esercito Italiano.

[usafphantom2]

VX-9 F/A-18F Spotted With Heavy Air-to-Air Load of AIM-174s and AIM-120s

The U.S. Navy is continuing to test the new AIM-174B missile, derived from the SM-6, aboard the Super Hornet, with a VX-9 jet carrying four AIM-174s, three AIM-120s and two AIM-9Xs.

Stefano D'Urso

Super Hornet four AIM-174s

The F/A-18F "Vandy 1" of VX-9 loaded with four CATM-174B, three CATM-120 and two CATM-9X. (Image credit: @point_mugu_skies)

A U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet of VX-9 “Vampires” was spotted with a heavy air-to-air loadout, which includes four AIM-174Bs, three AIM-120s and two AIM-9Xs, in addition to a targeting pod and an InfraRed Search and Track installed on the external fuel tank. Aviation photographer @point_mugu_skies was one of the few to capture the aircraft in this previously unseen configuration and kindly provided us the images you can see in this article.

The aircraft is the Vampires’ flagship, “Vandy 1”, which sports the black livery applied for the unit’s 30th anniversary to pay tribute to the original one which was used on VX-4 commander’s F-4s and F-14s, also known as “Vandy 1”. The callsign originated from the abbreviation of the unit’s official callsign “Vanderbilt” used at the time.

As The Aviationist has reported in detail in the last few months, the AIM-174B is a Standard Missile (SM) 6 variant developed for the air-to-air role. The SM-6 is the surface-to-air missile designed to be used on Navy ships in conjunction with the Aegis Combat System and also known as the RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM).

The idea of adapting the SM-6 to be air-launched is not new, as the weapon was already seen on a Super Hornet of VX-31 in 2018 and 2021. However, it wasn’t until earlier this year that the testing got a new impulse and operational units were involved.

In fact, after another F/A-18 was spotted in April with an SM-6 under the wing, the weapon then appeared on operational jets assigned to the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier during the Rim of The Pacific 2024 (RIMPAC 2024) exercise in July. The heaviest load seen so far included two AIM-174s and two AIM-120s.

The one seen in the latest photo is reportedly the heaviest air-to-air load to date with the new weapon, with the AIM-174 both on the inner and middle wing hardpoints. It’s interesting to note also the presence on the external fuel tank of the ASG-34A IRST, which acts as a complementary sensor to the AN/APG-79 fire control radar in a heavy electronic attack or radar-denied environment.

Another shot of the F/A-18F “Vandy 1” with the heavy air-to-air loadout. (Image credit: @point_mugu_skies)

AIM-174B

As previously explained, the AIM-174 is an air-launched version of the RIM-174 Standard Extended Range Active Missile (ERAM), a crucial element of the US Navy’s air defense strategy. Integrated into the Aegis Combat System, the RIM-174 is primarily designed for long-range anti-air warfare but can also be employed for terminal phase ballistic missile defense and as an anti-ship missile. This year marked the first official combat use of the SM-6, with the Department of Defense confirming that the USS Carney intercepted and destroyed an anti-ship ballistic missile fired by Houthi rebels in the Gulf of Aden on January 30, 2024.

The SM-6 uses the airframe of the SM-2ER Block IV (RIM-156A) missile, upgraded with an active radar homing seeker derived from the AIM-120 AMRAAM air-to-air missile. This missile can reach speeds of up to Mach 3.5 and has a maximum range of 200 nautical miles. To that respect, it’s not clear what the maximum range of the air-launched version could be: despite the lack of a booster, launching it at high speed and altitude would result in significantly greater range compared to the surface-launched variant.

With the induction of the AIM-174B into service, the U.S. Navy joins a number of air arms capable of deploying an extra-long-range beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), like the MBDA Meteor, the Russian R-37M and Chinese PL-15 and PL-21. In fact, the AIM-174B enables the U.S. Navy Super Hornets to engage targets at much greater distances than is currently possible with the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Integrated with the E-2D, F-35, and AEGIS within the Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA) system, the AIM-174B would extend the Navy’s capability to intercept aerial targets at ranges comparable to (if not greater than) those achieved against naval targets using the baseline SM-6.

In essence, this new missile fills the gap left by the retirement of the AIM-54 Phoenix. The AIM-54 was a long-range air-to-air missile used by the U.S. Navy’s F-14 Tomcat and retired in 2004 alongside the F-14. Known for its impressive range of over 100 nautical miles and multiple-target engagement capability, the AIM-54 left a significant void in long-range engagement capabilities.

While there wasn’t a direct replacement for the AIM-54 Phoenix in terms of range, the U.S. military has been developing advanced air-to-air missiles to enhance its fighter aircraft capabilities. The AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM) is one such development intended to replace the AIM-120 AMRAAM. Although not a direct replacement for the AIM-54 Phoenix, the AIM-260 aims to offer improved range and performance compared to the AIM-120.

SM-6

I

F/A-18E of VFA-192 carrying two air-launched SM-6 missiles (Image credit: @aeros808)

Operationally deployed

The photo of the new weapon during a test flight in April 2024 was reportedly part of the testing that preceded the delivery of the AIM-174B to the squadron likely to carry out Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E), a testing phase conducted on production, or production representative weapons, to determine whether systems are operationally effective and suitable to support a Full-Rate Production (FRP) decision.

In July, the U.S. Navy acknowledged that the AIM-174 is operationally deployed, likely in Initial Operating Capability (IOC) with the CVW-2 Air Wing’s Super Hornet squadrons aboard the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70), as reported by Naval News. “The SM-6 Air Launched Configuration (ALC) was developed as part of the SM-6 family of missiles and is operationally deployed in the Navy today,” said a U.S. Navy spokesperson.

While the service acknowledged the existence and the deployment of the weapon, so far only the NAIM-174B inert, CATM-174B captive carry, and DATM-174B ground training variants were seen installed on aircraft. However, the fact that the Navy mentioned the weapon being operationally deployed implies that live variants might also been delivered.

The Navy did not disclose other details about the AIM-174. So far, we know the standard SM-6 missile is about 21 feet (6.4 meters) long and, using persons for scale in some of the few photos available, the AIM-174B seems to be of similar length. According to the stencils visible on the photos of the missile carried by the CVW-2 Super Hornets taking part in RIMPAC, the weapon weighs 1,890 lb ± 14 lb (857 kg ± 6 kg).

Thanks again to @point_mugu_skies for the photos he sent us and make sure to follow him on Instagram for more!

About Stefano D'Urso

Stefano D'Urso is a freelance journalist and contributor to TheAviationist based in Lecce, Italy. A graduate in Industral Engineering he's also studying to achieve a Master Degree in Aerospace Engineering. Electronic Warfare, Loitering Munitions and OSINT techniques applied to the world of military operations and current conflicts are among his areas of expertise.

@TheAviationist .com

[beardedmrbean]

A government agency created five decades ago to boost the fortunes of minority-owned businesses discriminated against whites and must now serve all business owners, regardless of race, a federal judge in Texas ruled Tuesday.

Siding with white business owners who sued the Minority Business Development Agency for discrimination, Judge Mark T. Pittman of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas said the agency’s mission to help disadvantaged businesses owned by Blacks, Hispanics and other racial and ethnic groups gain access to capital and contracts violates the rights of all Americans to receive equal protection under the constitution.

“If courts mean what they say when they ascribe supreme importance to constitutional rights, the federal government may not flagrantly violate such rights with impunity. The MBDA has done so for years. Time’s up,” Pittman, who was named to the federal bench by President Trump, wrote in a 93-page decision.

Pittman directed the Nixon-era agency to overhaul its programs in a potential blow to other government efforts that cater to historically disadvantaged racial and ethnic groups.

The ruling marks a major development in the broader legal skirmish over diversity, equity and inclusion that is likely to fuel a re-energized conservative movement intent on abolishing affirmative action in the public and private sectors. 

Last summer’s Supreme Court decision on race-conscious college admissions has increased scrutiny of government programs that operate based on a presumption of social or economic disadvantage.

Conservative activists have peppered organizations with lawsuits claiming that programs to help Black Americans and other marginalized groups discriminate against white people. 

In a statement proclaiming “DEI’s days are numbered,” Dan Lennington, an attorney with Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, the public interest law firm that sued MBDA, hailed the decision as a “historic victory for equality in America.”

“No longer can a federal agency cater only to certain races and not others,” Lennington said. “The MBDA is now open to all Americans.”

The MBDA, which is part of the Commerce Department, could not be immediately reached for comment.

Justice Department lawyers who represented the agency declined to comment. They argued in court filings that the agency’s services are available to any socially or economically disadvantaged business owner. They also pointed to decades of evidence showing that certain groups suffered – and continue to suffer – social and economic disadvantages that stunt “their ability to participate in America’s free enterprise system.”

Alphonso David, president and CEO of the Global Black Economic Forum, said the court’s decision acknowledged this disadvantage.

"Despite this recognition, the court somehow argues that a program created to remedy this discrimination must be dismantled. That makes no sense,” David said in a statement. 

What’s more, David said the ruling is limited to one federal agency.

“We can expect right-wing activists to conflate the issue and confuse people into thinking it applies to any public or private program that fights discrimination, but that is not the case," he said.

Established in 1969 by President Richard Nixon to address discrimination in the business world, the MBDA runs centers across the country to help minority owned businesses secure funding and government contracts. The Biden administration made the agency permanent in 2021. 

Three small business owners sued MBDA in March, alleging they were turned away because of their race. “The American dream should be afforded to all Americans regardless of skin color or cultural background. But what we have is a federal government picking winners and losers based on wokeism – enough is enough,” one of the plaintiffs, Matthew Piper, said at the time.

National Urban League president Marc Morial urged the federal government to appeal the decision.

"The work of the MBDA to concentrate on the growth of businesses that remain substantially locked out of the mainstream of the American economy is needed and necessary," Morial said.

[simply-ivanka]

A federal judge in Texas has ruled a government agency designed to help minority-owned businesses cannot refuse assistance to White applicants.

U.S. District Judge Mark Pittman on Tuesday ruled in favor of a group of White business-owners who sued the Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA), alleging the agency unconstitutionally gives preferential treatment to non-White entrepreneurs. 

"The Agency uses a codified list of preferred races/ethnicities to determine who gets benefits and who doesn’t," Pittman wrote in a 93-page order. "The Agency presumes anyone from the listed groups is ‘socially or economically disadvantaged’ and is thus entitled to services. Anyone outside those groups — white or otherwise — is presumptively not disadvantaged and thus not entitled to benefits."

[ireton]

But, But, But, DEWS aren't real…

DragonFire is a British laser directed-energy weapon (LDEW). It was first unveiled to the public as a technology demonstrator in 2017 at the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) conference in London and is being developed by UK DragonFire, a collaboration consisting of MBDA UK, Leonardo UK, QinetiQ and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl).

 A production version is expected to enter service in 2027 onboard Royal Navy ships

[dnaamericaapp]

Black Businesses Face Uphill Battle After Reverse Racism Ruling From Trump-Appointed Judge

Earlier this month, a federal court delivered yet another blow to government efforts to close the racial equity gap and better serve Black and brown communities.

The latest set back came by a ruling from Judge Mark Pittman that ordered the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) to no longer consider race or ethnicity when deploying its services to U.S. small businesses.

“This is not one attack, but it’s a series of attacks on the measures that the federal government has put in place to remedy,” Patrice Willoughby, senior vice president of global policy and impact at the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), told theGrio.

Using the same constitutional argument the U.S. Supreme Court used to overturn race-conscious affirmative action in college admissions last year, Pittman, appointed to the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Texas by former President Donald Trump, said MBDA’s qualification for “disadvantaged” business owners violated the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.

In other words, the judge argued the agency violated the constitutional rights of white business owners.

“While the agency’s work may help alleviate opportunity gaps faced by MBEs (minority business owners), two wrongs do not make a right,” Pittman wrote in his ruling.

Elected officials and advocates are decrying the federal court ruling, blaming a movement led by conservatives and affirmed by Republican-appointed judges that is undoing decades-long efforts to right historic wrongs that have afflicted Black and brown communities. The MBDA ruling, proponents fear, could further exacerbate existing racial disparities in ownership and wealth. -(source: the grio)

DNA America

“It’s what we know, not what you want us to believe.”

#dna #dnaamerica #news #politics